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If you enjoy attending performances by top notch musicians, check out concert pianist Jeffrey Biegel's (www.JeffreyBiegel.com) upcoming concerts in Colorado Springs, CO the 18th and 19th. If you aren't familiar with Jeffrey, visit his web site, read his bio, and listen to some samples.

I've heard/seen Jeffrey play the Leroy Anderson (with the Hartford Symphony), and heard Keith Emerson play his own concerto. But I haven't seen/heard Jeffrey play Keith's concerto. Rumor has it Keith will be there too. I'm planning on attending both nights, partially because I so enjoy Jeffrey's virtuoso performances, and partly because I'm a BIG fan of Emerson's.

If anyone else is planning on going, please let me know.I've never been to Colorado, looking forward to the concert, and the visit.

You can also read my report on Jeffrey's April 3rd concert with the FSU Symphony ...Review

Or for a treat, see/hear this YouTube video of Jeffrey playing Prokofiev's Piano Concerto no. 3 in a 2005 live concert with the South Shore Symphony conducted by Scott Jackson Wiley

And for some more fun, check out Keith Emerson's improvisations here...

Colorado springs is supposed to be in the 50's on Sunday, so pack for that as well. Typical Colorado weather in April.

If you are flying into Denver, I strongly suggest the SUV. The Parker Divide (a ridge of hills above 6000 feet) is between Denver and Colorado Springs. This usually gets hit pretty hard as it's higher than Denver.

Good luck, Frank. I'm glad you're flying in to the Springs. There's been lots of flights cancelled at DIA, but I don't think in the Springs yet. But I was just reading the CS Gazette (I have family in the Springs, including my 87-year-old mother)on-line and folks have posted their latest snow pictures. I was really sorry I had commitments for this weekend and couldn't go up for this concert, but now - well, Raton Pass is still open but I've driven those roads in some pretty cr*ppy weather, and I'm just as glad I'm still here in Santa Fe - we only have some really wet stuff that isn't sticking on my sidewalk at the minute, tho it's covered the lilacs.

The camera that sits sort of over the C in Colorado Springs is on the north side of down town (Platte and Nevada). The streets are just wet.

I was afraid, if you were flying in to DIA, that your flight would be cancelled. Or I-25 would be closed - as Rich says, that stretch of road can get yukky. The Monument Hill web cam showed some pretty low visibility. But the Springs is fine.So far :P

At any rate, I'm really sorry this didn't work for me, but I'm looking forward to enjoying it vicariously from your reports.

The Colorado Springs Philharmonic injected the power and enthusiasm the Emerson Piano Concerto requires, maestro Lawrence Leighton Smith knows how to bring a piece alive, and his orchestra is more than capable of delivering.

Jeffrey Biegel chanelled his inner Keith Emerson, bringing all the technical prowess, energy, and control one could hope for, while still imbuing the piece with his own style.

A most impressive performance, followed by an equally impressive performance of the Leroy Anderson Concerto in C for Piano and Orchestra. I love this piece, it's so accessible and fun (made all the more so by the conductor's pre-concert lecture to a packed room, Mr. Smith's enthusiasm and ability to teach us all about a piece made the lecture almost as much fun as the concert).

To all this, add that the orchestra started with Mozart's Overture to The Magic Flute , K. 620, and ended the evening with Beetoven's famous Symphony No. 5 (if you can't remember that one off the top of your head, just say ... Bum-bum-bum-baa, it will come back to you).

You couldn't ask for a better evening (well, ok, I could ask that Keith Emerson had showed up, but other than that).

The audience was buzzing during intermission. Everyone had big smiles and kept talking about how much they loved the Emerson and the Anderson.

Keith Emerson made a lot of new fans last night, although I dare say a fair number of them are basing their new found admiration on his Piano Concerto, and may not be familiar (as I am) with some of his other work :-)

And the best part?

I get to do it all again today, in a couple of hours.There is a matinee performance at the Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts today (Sunday, April 19) at 2:30 ... Can't wait.

My thanks to Jeffrey Biegel for letting me tag along at the rehersal, for getting me a great seat for the performance, and for introducing me to so many wonderful people associated with the orchestra (not to mention the after concert party:-) ).

My thanks also to Maestro Smith, Suzzane (I probably spelled that wrong), Nathan Newbrough (CSO Pres./CEO) and all the other nice folks I met. Every one of them made me feel welcomed.

I may have been disappointed in not getting to meet Emerson, but the concert(s) made the trip worth the effort.